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Kelowna West byelection to determine former premier's replacement today

Former B.C. premier Christy Clark speaks to media for the first time since announcing she will be stepping down as B.C. Liberal leader and MLA in Vancouver, B.C., on Monday, July 31, 2017. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ben Nelms

The Canadian Press
Published Wednesday, February 14, 2018 8:18AM PST

KELOWNA, B.C. - Voters will head to the polls in Kelowna, B.C., today, casting ballots to replace former B.C. premier Christy Clark.

Clark left politics last summer, quitting as the Liberal party leader and resigning her seat in the riding of Kelowna West.

Five people are vying for the job, including B.C. Liberal Ben Stewart, who won the riding in the 2013 election, but bowed out to allow Clark to run after she lost the Vancouver-Point Grey riding to the New Democrats.

Shelley Cook, a former John Howard Society executive director, is running for the NDP, while the B.C. Green party has nominated Robert Stupka, an engineer and certified passive house designer.

Kyle Michael Ernest Geronazzo is representing the Libertarians and Mark Thompson is running under the Conservative banner.

Elections BC says over six thousand people cast ballots in six days of advance voting.